Portable apparatus and fastening device thereof

ABSTRACT

A fastening device includes a cover, an actuating member rotatably attached on the cover, and a locking member disposed on the cover and engaging with the actuating member. The cover includes a hook capable of being locked and unlocked on an electronic device, and defines a through hole near the hook and the actuating member capable of rotating around a rotating center. The actuating member is locked on the cover while being pushed. The locking member including a locking portion capable of passing through the through hole and inserting into the electronic device to lock the hook on the electronic device and withdrawing from the through hole when the actuating member is pushed to rotate.

This application is related to copending U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/512,996 filed Jul. 31, 2009 entitled “PORTABLE APPARATUS ANDFASTENING DEVICE THEREOF” and Ser. No. 12/512,997 filed Jul. 31, 2009entitled “PORTABLE APPARATUS AND FASTENING DEVICE THEREOF”. Thedisclosures of the above-identified applications are incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to portable apparatuses, and moreparticularly to a fastening device for fastening a portable apparatus toan object.

2. Description of Related Art

Portable electronic devices, such as handheld flat screen televisionsand portable disc players, are widely used because of small sizes. Usersmay carry their portable electronic devices when travelling for businessor entertainment. However, the users may have to hold the portableelectronic devices in their hands or on their thighs or on a flatsurface of the vehicle they are travelling in. After a period of time,the users' hands or thighs may become tired or the electronic devicesmay fall off the table due to the vehicle turning or bumps in the road.

Therefore, a need exits for providing a fastening device that theelectronic device can be secured thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electronic device, comprising afastening device and an electronic device fixed thereon, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the electronic device of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded, isometric view of the fastening device ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a reverse exploded, isometric view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of FIG. 4, but without the cover.

FIG. 6 is a reverse isometric view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of FIG. 5, with the actuating memberrotated.

FIG. 8 is a reverse isometric view of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable apparatus 100 includes anelectronic device 10 and a fastening device 20 detachably attached tothe electronic device 10 for positioning the electronic device 10 toanother object (not shown). The electronic device 10 may be a handheldflat screen television, a portable disc player, and so on.

The electronic device 10 is substantially rectangular-shaped, andincludes a front casing 11 and a rear casing 13. The front casing 11engages with the rear casing 13 to define a first receiving space.Components of the electronic device, such as a display module (notshown) may be disposed in the first receiving space. The front casing 11may have a viewing surface. The electronic device 10 further definesfour locking slots 14 in an outer surface of the rear casing 13. Thefour locking slots 14 are located in the vicinity of four corners of therear casing 13 correspondingly.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the fastening device 20 includes a cover30, two locking mechanisms 50 are disposed in the cover 30.

The cover 30 includes a platform cover 31, a support cover 33 engagedwith the platform cover 31, and a fixing member 35 disposed between theplatform cover 31 and a support cover 33. The platform cover 31 supportsthe rear casing 13 of the electronic device 10 when the fastening device20 is attached to the electrical device 10.

The platform cover 31 includes an outer platform surface 312 and aninner platform surface 313. The platform cover 31 defines four firstthrough holes 311, the four first through holes 311 communicate betweenthe outer platform surface 312 and the inner platform surface 313 of theplatform cover 31. The openings 311 may locate at four corners of theplatform cover 31 correspondingly. The four first through holes 311correspond with the four locking slots 14 of the electrical device 10. Aplurality of fixing posts 315 protrude from the inner platform surface313 correspondingly.

The support cover 33 includes an inner support surface 332 and an outersupport surface 333 on opposite sides of the support cover 33. The innersurface 332 faces the platform cover 31. Two guiding slots 331 aredefined in the support cover 33 communicating between the inner surface332 and the outer surface 333. The two pushing slots 331 are arc-shaped.The two pushing slots 331 are substantially located near shorter edgesof the support cover 33 correspondingly. Two supporting portions 335protrude from the outer surface 333. The two supporting portions 335 areadjacent to the two pushing slots 331, and are used for contacting withan object which the electronic device 10 is fastened on.

The fixing member 35 is substantially rectangular-shaped. The fixingmember 35 may include a chassis 350, and four dampening members 351. Thefour dampening members 351 are fixed at four corners of the chassis 350correspondingly. A fixing hole 3511 is defined in each dampening member31, and used for the fixing post 315 to pass through, such that thefixing member 35 can be elastically fixed on the platform cover 31.

A positioning block 355, a stopping block 357, a first paw 359, a secondpaw 361, and a chassis platform 363 protrude from the chassis 350. Thepositioning block 355, the stopping block 357, and the first paw 359 arealigned along a first line AA1, with the stopping block 357 locatedbetween the positioning block 355 and the first paw 359.

Two mounting holes 352 and a opening 353 are defined in the chassis 350.The opening 353 is located between the two mounting holes 352. The firstline AA1 passes through the two mounting holes 352 and the opening 353.

A positioning post 365 protrudes from the center of the chassis platform363. The positioning post 365 and the second paw 361 are arranged in asecond line BB1, and the positioning post 365 is located in a rotatingcenter O of an actuating member 55 (FIG. 5). Two sliding slots 367 andtwo entrances 368 are defined in the chassis 350. Each of the twosliding slots 367 is substantially a quarter circle arc-shaped andarranged in a same circle, the center of which is the rotating center Oof the actuating member 55. One of the two sliding slots 367 is locatedbetween the second paw 361 and the positioning post 365, and the secondline BB 1 extends through the center of the two sliding slots 367. Thetwo entrances 368 communicate with the two sliding slots 367correspondingly, and located at one end of the sliding slots 367correspondingly.

Each of the locking mechanisms 50 includes a hook 51, a locking member53, the actuating member 55, a first resilient member 59 and a secondresilient member 57. The actuating member 55, the first resilient member59, and the fixing member 35 constitute a rotating system 70.

The hook 51 is fixed on the chassis 350 of the fixing member 35, and isused for latching onto the electronic device 10. The hook 51 includes afastening portion 511 and a hooking portion 513 disposed on thefastening portion 511. The fastening portion 511 defines two fasteningholes 5111 corresponding to the two mounting holes 352 defined in thechassis 350. Thus, the hook 51 may be fastened on the fixing member 35via a screw, a bolt, and so on. The hooking portion 513 is capable ofpassing through the through hole 311 and insertable into the lockingslot 14 to hook on the electronic device 10.

The actuating member 55 may be an integrated member. The actuatingmember 55 includes a positioning portion 552, a driving portion 5571,and a connecting portion 557 connecting the driving portion 5571 to oneside of the positioning portion 552. The positioning portion 552 iselongated, and includes a positioning hole 551, two hook-shaped claws559, an actuating portion 555, a post 553, and a button 558. Thepositioning hole 551 is defined in the middle of the positioning portion552. The positioning hole 551 is used for receiving the positioning post365; therefore, the actuating member 55 is rotatably attached on thechassis platform 363 of the fixing member 35, and pivotally rotatablearound the rotating center O.

The two hook-shaped claws 559 are disposed at opposite ends of thepositioning portion 552 correspondingly. The claws 559 face the fixingmember 35 corresponding to the sliding slots 367. The two claws 559 areinstalled into the sliding slots 367 from the entrances 368 and slidablyclasp the fixing member 35, in order to prevent the actuating member 55from disengaging with the fixing member 35 when rotated.

The actuating portion 555 and the post 553 are also disposed at oppositeends of the positioning portion 552, but face the support cover 33, andopposite to the two claws 559. The actuating portion 555 bendsperpendicularly from one end of the positioning portion 552. The button558 is located on the outer surface 333 of the support cover 33. Thebutton 558 is fixable on the actuating portion 555 after the actuatingportion 555 pass through the corresponding pushing slot 331, in order tobe conveniently pushed by a user.

The connecting portion 557 is flat shaped. The connecting portion 557extends from one side of the positioning portion 552 along an elongatingdirection, and parallel with the fixing member 35. The driving portion5571 is an arc-shaped wall vertically extending from an edge of theconnecting portion 557. The center of driving portion 5571 is therotating center O of the actuating member 55. A height of the drivingportion 5571 gradually decreases along a clockwise rotating direction ofthe actuating member 55 in FIG. 4. The driving portion 5571 includes adriving surface 5573 which is a top surface of the driving portion 5571.The driving surface 5573 is an inclined surface with respect to theplane of the rotating surface of actuating member 55.

The first resilient member 59 is a torsion spring, and includes a firstend 591, a second end 592, and a winding 593 connecting the first end591 and the second end 592. The first end 591 is fixed on the post 553,and the second end 592 is fixed on the second paw 361. The winding 593is freely disposed between the post 553 and the second paw 361.Therefore, the first resilient member 59 provides a torsional force tolimit the actuating member 55 located at two ends of the sliding slots367.

The locking member 53 is substantially elongated, and pivotally attachedon the fixing member 35. The locking member 53 includes a base 530, ashaft 531, a locking portion 533, a driven portion 537, and a post 535.The shaft 531 and the locking portion 533 are disposed at opposite endsof the base 530 correspondingly. The shaft 531 is pivotally fixed on thepositioning block 355, in order to pivotally fix the locking member 53on the fixing member 35.

The locking portion 533 is a protruding block and faces the fixingmember 35. The locking portion 533 is used for passing through theopening 353 and the through hole 311, and inserting into the rest spaceof the corresponding locking slot 14 of the electronic device 10, toprevent the hooking portion 513 from drawing from the locking slot 14.The post 535 protrudes from a side surface of the locking member 53adjacent to the shaft 531, and faces the stopping block 357.

The driven portion 537 is contacting with the driving portion 5571 Thedriven portion 537 may be a protruding block opposite to the post 535and adjacent to the locking portion 533. The driven portion 537 issupported on the driving surface 5573, thus, the driven portion 537 maybe pushed to move toward a first direction D1 and a second direction D2(FIG. 5), when the actuating member 55 is actuated. The first directionD1 is a reverse direction of the second direction D2, and perpendicularto the rotating surface of the actuating member 55.

The second resilient member 57 may be a torsion spring. The secondresilient member 57 is fixed on the post 535 of the locking member 53,with one end pressing the locking member 53 and the other end resistingagainst the first paw 359 of the fixing member 35, to prevent thelocking portion 533 from withdrawing back from the through hole 311.

In assembly, first, the positioning posts 365 are passed through thepositioning holes 551 of the corresponding positioning portion 552rotatably connecting the actuating member 55 on the chassis platform 363of the fixing member 35. Therefore, the contacting surface between theactuating member 55 and the fixing member 35 is reduced. Then, the claws559 are inserted into the corresponding sliding slots 367 from thecorresponding entrances 368 and hook onto the fixing member 35, thereby,preventing the actuating member 55 from disengaging with the fixingmember 35, when the actuating member 55 rotates with respect to thefixing member 35.

Second, the locking member 53 is pivotally attached on the fixing member35, and engages with the actuating member 55. The shaft 531 is fixed onthe positioning block 355 of the fixing member 35, and rotatable withrespect to the positioning block 355. The driven portion 537 are locatedon the driving surface 5573 of the driving portion 5571, the lockingportion 533 is passes through the opening 353, and the post 535 contactswith the stopping block 357.

Third, a screw or a bolt pass through the fastening hole 5111 of hook 51and mounting hole 352 of the fixing member 35 to fix the hook 51 on thefixing member 35, therefore, the hooking portion 513 is aligned with thelocking portion 533. After that, the first end 591 of the firstresilient member 59 is fixed on the post 553, the second end 592 isfixed on the second paw 361, and the winding 593 is in a normal state.The second resilient member 57 is fixed on the post 535 of the lockingmember 53, with one end pressing on the locking member 53 and the otherend resisting against the first paw 359 of the fixing member 35, toprevent the locking portion 533 from withdrawing back from the throughhole 311.

Finally, the fixing posts 315 pass through the fixing holes 3511 of thedampening members 351 to attach the fixing member 35 on the platformcover 31, and the hooking portion 513 of the hook 51 and the lockingportion 533 of the locking member 53 pass through the through hole 311for inserting into the locking slot 14. And the support cover 33 isengaged on the platform cover 31 with the actuating portion 555 passingthrough the corresponding pushing slot 331. Then the button 558 sleeveson the actuating portion 555 to be conveniently pushed, therebyactuating the locking member 53.

Further referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the locking portion 533 is withdrawnfrom the locking slot 14 of the electronic device 10 and the throughhole 311 of the platform cover 31 along the first direction D1. Thedriven portion 537 is supported at the highest position of the drivingportion 5571 with respect to the rotating surface of the actuatingmember 55. Each claw 559 is located at one end of the sliding slot 367,and the first resilient member 59 applies a first torsional force to oneend of the positioning portion 552 of the actuating member 55 to limitthe actuating member 55.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the electronic device 10 needs to beassembled on the fastening device 20, the hooking portion 51 is insertedinto the corresponding locking slot 14. Then, the button 558 is pushed,overcoming the first torsional force of the first resilient member 59,and slides into the other end of the pushing slot 331. The actuatingmember 55 rotates around the positioning post 365 on the rotatingsurface with respect to the fixing member 35, and the claws 559 slide tothe other end of the sliding slots 367 correspondingly. The firstresilient member 59 applies a second torsional force to one end of thepositioning portion 552 of the actuating member 55 to limit theactuating member 55. The driven portion 537 slides from the highestposition to the lowest position of the driving portion 5571 due to apressing force from the second resilient member 57. The locking portion533 passes through the opening 353 and the through hole 311 and insertsinto the locking slot 14 along the second direction D2 to prevent thehooking portion 51 from disengaging from the electronic device 10.Therefore, the electronic device 10 is assembled on the fastening device20.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the present disclosure, the present disclosureis illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broadgeneral meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A portable apparatus comprising: an electronic device defining alocking slot; and a fastening device detachably attached to theelectronic device, the fastening device comprising: a cover defining athrough hole corresponding to the locking slot; a hook disposed on thecover and capable of inserting into the locking slot of the electronicdevice; an actuating member pivotally attached in the cover, theactuating member rotatable in a rotating surface and capable of beinglocked in a first position and a second position; and a locking memberfixed in the cover, and engageable with the actuating member, thelocking member comprising a locking portion movable along a firstdirection to withdraw from the locking slot and the first through hole,and a second direction which is reverse to the first direction to passthrough the through hole and insert into the locking slot; wherein thelocking portion is pushed to move along the first direction to detachfrom the locking slot when the actuating member rotates from the firstposition to the second position, and the locking portion moves along thesecond direction to insert into the locking slot when the actuatingmember rotates from the second position to the first position.
 2. Theportable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuating member comprises adriving portion, the height of the driving portion is gradually changedalong a rotating direction of the actuating member, and the lockingmember comprises a driven portion is slidably supported on the drivingportion.
 3. The portable apparatus of claim 2, wherein the drivingportion is an arc-shaped wall.
 4. The portable apparatus of claim 1,wherein the actuating member comprises a driving portion with a drivingsurface, the driving surface is an inclined surface with respect to therotating surface, the locking member comprises a driven portion isslidably supported on the driving surface.
 5. The portable apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the cover comprises a fixing member for mounting theactuating member and the locking member thereon, the fastening devicefurther comprises a second resilient member which is positioned on thelocking member, with a first end fixed on the fixing member, and theother end fixed on the locking member.
 6. The portable apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein the locking member comprises a post, the secondresilient member is sleeved on the post.
 7. The portable apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the fastening device further comprises a firstresilient member capable of locking the actuating member at the firstposition and the second position.
 8. The portable apparatus of claim 7,wherein the first resilient member comprising a first end fixed on theactuating member, a second end fixed on the cover, and a windingconnecting the first end to the second end, the winding is unrestrained.9. The portable apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first resilient memberis a torsion spring.
 10. The portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein thecover include a platform cover, a support cover engaged with theplatform cover, and a fixing member disposed between the platform coverand the support cover, the actuating member and the locking member arefixed on the fixing member.
 11. The portable apparatus of claim 10,wherein the fixing member defines at least one arc-shaped sliding slot,the actuating member comprises a claw capable of being slidably receivedin the at least one arc-shaped sliding slot.
 12. The portable apparatusof claim 10, wherein the fixing member comprises dampening membersdisposed between the fixing member, the platform cover and supportcover.
 13. The portable apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fixing memberdefines an opening, the locking member is disposed between the supportcover and the fixing member and pivotally attached on the fixing member,the locking portion passes through the opening and the through hole toinsert into the locking slot of the electronic device.
 14. The portableapparatus of claim 13, wherein the hook is fixed on the fixing member,and comprising a hooking portion, the hooking portion passes through thethrough hole and inserts into the locking slot.
 15. The portableapparatus of claim 10, wherein the fastening device further comprises asecond resilient member which is positioned on the locking member, witha first end fixed on the fixing member, and the other end fixed on thelocking member.
 16. The portable apparatus of claim 15, wherein thelocking member comprises a post, the second resilient member is sleevedon the post, the fixing member comprising a stopping block correspondingwith the post to prevent the second resilient member from falling fromthe post.
 17. A fastening device comprising: a cover defining a throughhole; a clasping portion capable of passing through the through hole toinsert into and withdraw from a locking slot defined in an electronicdevice; an actuating member rotatably attached on the cover, theactuating member capable of rotating around a rotating center, andlocked on the cover while being pushed; a locking member disposed on thecover and engaging with the actuating member, the locking membercomprising a locking portion capable of passing through the through holeand inserting into the rest space of the locking slot of the electronicdevice to lock the clasping portion on the electronic device, thelocking portion withdrawing from the locking slot and the through holewhen the actuating member being pushed to rotate to allow the claspingportion to unlock from the electronic device.
 18. The fastening deviceof claim 17, wherein the cover comprises a platform cover, a supportcover engaging with the platform cover, and a fixing member elasticallydisposed between the support cover and the platform cover, the actuatingmember and the locking member are rotatably disposed on the fixingmember.
 19. The fastening device of claim 18, wherein a rotating surfaceof the actuating member is perpendicular with a plane which the lockingmember rotates in.
 20. The fastening device of claim 18, wherein thefixing member defines a sliding slot, the actuating member comprises aclaw slidably disposed in the sliding slot.